Designations
The U.S. Department of the Treasury continues to impose targeted financial sanctions on the individuals and organizations involved in Iran’s proliferation-related activities, terrorist activities, and human rights violations.
In 2008, Stuart Levey, then-Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the U.S. Treasury, testified before Congress that, “U.S. designations in this area gain worldwide recognition, particularly among financial institutions. My colleagues and I have traveled worldwide explaining our actions to, and sharing information with, foreign government officials and private sector representatives to help them understand the nature of the threat. The result is that our actions jeopardize designated proliferators' access to the international financial system and put their commercial partners on notice of the threat they pose. Those who continue to do business with them do so at the risk of tainting their reputations or even being designated themselves.”
Major Designated Entities
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
- Initially designated by the U.S. Treasury in October 2007, the IRGC (Pasdaran, in Persian) has been “has been outspoken about its willingness to proliferate ballistic missiles capable of carrying WMD.” Treasury has designated the group’s branches, including the IRGC army, navy, basij militiamen and Qods forces; and a number of IRGC subsidiaries and front companies, including its construction and engineering arm, Khatam al-Anbiya. The U.S. government has also designated the IRGC leadership, including commander Mohammed Ali Jafari.
Please see “The Dangers of Doing Business with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards” by FDD Experts Mark Dubowitz & Emanuele Ottolenghi.
Ministry of Defense Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL)
- MODAFL was designated by the U.S. Treasury in October 2007 as a result of its connections to Iran’s nuclear weapons activities.
Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL)
- Iran’s major shipping line, IRISL, was designated by the U.S. Treasury in September 2008 for providing logistical services to MODAFL. Treasury subsequently designated dozens of subsidiaries and front companies, in addition to ships owned by IRISL.The full list of designated vessels can be accessed here.
Iranian Banks
- In addition to targeting Iranian organizations engaged in developing nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism, the U.S. Treasury has put increasing pressure on the banks that enable these activities. A number of Iranian banks and their subsidiaries worldwide have been designated, including Bank Melli, Bank Mellat, and Mehr Bank.
The U.S. Treasury has also targeted Iranian leaders complicit in human rights violations; profiles of Iran’s designated human rights violators can be found here.
A complete list of designations can be found on the U.S. Treasury website.